Thermally conductive cushion

ABSTRACT

A product and process for reducing discomfort due to heat and moisture evolved during a period of contact between living skin and a cushioning material, using a thermally conductive cushioning device, having a first layer of a moisture management fabric, a second layer of a thermally conductive web, and a third layer of a thermally insulative cushioning material.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national stage entry of PCT/US2019/040754, filedon Jul. 8, 2019, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 62/695,362, filed on Jul. 9, 2018, which are incorporated herein byreference in their entities.

FIELD

Disclosed is a thermally conductive cushioning device, which conductsheat away from a point of contact thereof with the human body.

BACKGROUND

The human body releases heat in a number of ways to help regulate itstemperature. An important way of releasing heat to control bodytemperature is through releasing moisture. The human body can releaseanywhere from 0.5 liter of moisture to 8 liters per day depending on theindividual and their level of activity. Moisture may be released throughvarious mechanisms, such as breathing, bodily waste functions, andperspiration.

Perspiration may occur when the body tries to rid itself of enough heat(i.e., cool itself) that it employs the help of convective heat transferand starts to sweat. How much the body perspires depends upon a numberof factors, such as the temperature and air movement within thesurrounding environment, a person's metabolic state, and the amount ofheat trapping and moisture retaining material near the body. However,moisture produced by the body during perspiration can collect inclothing, bedding, and other materials kept close to the body, which cancause discomfort and/or impede the cooling process.

To reduce the discomfort caused by perspiration and to assist coolingthe body, manufacturers have produced materials that generate a coolingeffect. For example, mattresses have been developed which use activecooling to reduce surface temperatures, the active cooling beingprovided by blowers or the like. However, such systems suffer fromvarious drawbacks, such as initial cost, the cost of operation andmechanical or electrical breakdowns. Thus, a passive cooling mechanismis more advantageous.

The transfer of heat can come about primarily as a result of heatconduction through solid material, convective heat transfer by aircurrents for example, radiation energy from a heated source to a coolerobject, and mass transport such as through the evaporation of moisture.Some of these phenomena can come about through active exchange of heatsuch as an electrically driven air conditioner or a fan moving airaround a heated object or passively where heat is exchanged without anyexternal energy input.

Some passive ways to move energy in bedding articles is through a phasechange of material (PCM) and moisture transport. A passive coolingeffect is generated using one of two common mechanisms. The firstmechanism includes the use of phase change materials (PCMs), whichrapidly absorb heat to undergo a phase change at skin temperature andproduce a sensation of cooling as a result. However, PCMs act as heatreservoirs that can only capture so much heat before the heat needs tobe transferred away for the PCM to continue cooling. In addition,encapsulated PCM on fabric often last a few minutes and then cannot trapmore heat into the reservoir. Thus, the applicability PCMs in beddingmaterials to provide a cooling effect is limited.

The other mechanism for reducing discomfort by passive cooling mayinclude the use of a fabric that wicks away moisture. Hydrophilicfinishes have been used for fabric effects to wick away moisture. Forexample, non-silicone finishes that have some slickness have been usedin fiberfill and can be hydrophilic. But while fabrics with hydrophilicfinishes can wick away moisture, the cooling effect is somewhat limited.

It would be advantageous to provide a fabric-containing device that notonly moves heat through moisture wicking, but also provides a passivecooling, by more effective conduction and convection from the point ofcontact with the human body.

SUMMARY

Presented herein is a thermally conductive cushioning device, comprisinga first layer of a moisture management fabric, a second layer of athermally conductive web, and a third layer of a thermally insulativecushioning material, wherein the thermal conductivity of the thermallyconductive web is greater than or equal to the thermal conductivity ofthe cushioning material.

Advantageously, the moisture management fabric is formed of profiledcross-section polyester or polyamide fibers or other moisture managementmaterials.

Alternatively, the moisture management fabric is formed of round or ovalcross-section polyester or polyamide fibers, or other cross-sectionsthat may channel moisture, which are treated to improve moisturewicking.

Alternatively, the moisture management fabric is formed of round or ovalcross-section polyester or polyamide fibers, which are chemicallytreated with by plasma etching.

Alternatively, the moisture management fabric is formed of at least oneselected from natural fibers, and profiled cross-section syntheticfibers.

In one form, the moisture management fabric is formed of a blend ofnatural fibers and profiled cross-section polyester or polyamide fibers,or it can be formed of a blend of natural fibers and round or ovalcross-section polyester or polyamide fibers, which are chemicallytreated with a moisture wicking compound or plasma treated.

In another form, the thermally conductive web comprises metal selectedfrom Groups 3 to 13 of the Periodic Table of the elements, and alloysthereof, such as a copper mesh, or thermally conductive forms of carbon,such as carbon fibers.

Advantageously, the thermally conductive web has a thermal conductivityof from about 0.1 to about 100 W/m·K, as measured from 20° C. to 50° C.and is dependent upon the construction of the thermally conductivefabric. For a single layer fabric one construction herein is of about10-20 W/m·K.

Importantly, the thermally insulative material is not a heat sink, andcan be a polyethylene terephthalate fiberfill insulation or any othercushioning layer of foam, fibers, feathers, down, polymer beads,buckwheat hulls, other common cushion stuffing materials, orcombinations thereof. In one embodiment, the thermally insulativematerial can be a fiberfill that spreads moisture throughout its volumewhile retaining an acceptably slick hand.

In one form, of the thermally conductive cushioning device, the firstlayer is immediately adjacent the second layer.

In another form, the first layer is a woven, nonwoven or knitted fabrichaving a basis weight of from about 16 to about 300 g/m².

In yet another form, the second layer is a fine denier web having aforce required for deflection which is substantially the same as a forcerequired for deflection of the first layer. For example, the forcerequired for deflection of the first layer is within ten percent (10%)of the force required for deflection of the second layer.

In another form, the third layer is a cushioning layer of foam orfibers, or a blend therefrom.

In some forms, the thermally conductive cushioning device is a pillow, apillow case, a mattress cover, or a seat cushion.

Also presented is a process for providing a cooling effect to cushioningdevices for contact with living skin, comprising (i) providing athermally conductive cushioning device, comprising a first layer of amoisture management fabric, a second layer of a thermally conductiveweb, and a third layer of a thermally insulative cushioning material,(ii) contacting the cushioning device with skin to establish atemperature T₁ on the first layer of the cushioning device, and a firstmoisture level, (iii) extracting heat from the first layer of thecushioning device into the second layer of the cushioning device andreducing the temperature of the first layer to a temperature of T₂, (iv)wicking moisture away from the skin through the moisture managementfabric of the first layer, and (v) distributing the heat and moisturetoward edges of the first and second layers and away from the skin.

In one form, the thermally insulative material of the third layer delaystransfer of heat from second layer into the third layer, therebyenhancing the distribution of heat toward the edges of the second layer

In one form, the “cushioning material” or fiberfill or other materialresists heat flow. In this embodiment, the “cushioning material” is athermal insulator.

In another form, the cushioning material is modified to improve itsmoisture wicking and thermal conduction properties.

Advantageously, temperature T₂ is from about 1-10° C. less thantemperature T₁ over a period of about 8 hours.

In an embodiment, heat dissipation is from 1 to 10 Watts, for example, 5W, and the difference between T₁ and T₂ is maintained for more than 8hours, for example 12 hours or 24 hours.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, specific exemplary implementations thereof have beenshown in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should beunderstood, however, that the description herein of specific exemplaryimplementations is not intended to limit the disclosure to theparticular forms disclosed herein.

FIG. 1A shows a schematic sectional view of a three layer cushioningfabric according to the disclosure herein.

FIG. 1B shows a cross-sectional view of a three layer cushioning fabricaccording to the disclosure herein, along section B-B of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A shows a schematic view of a profiled cross-section fiber orfilament, useful in the presently disclosed fabrics.

FIG. 2B shows a schematic view of a round cross-section fiber orfilament, useful in the presently disclosed fabrics.

FIG. 3A is an illustration showing the construction of the measuringapparatus and the articles for temperature measurement.

FIG. 3B is a photographic representation of the article and weight uponthe thermally conductive cushion.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show the temperature profile of the cushioning articlethrough 20 minutes with temperature measurements at various distancesfrom the simulated head heat source. In FIG. 4B, the top temperatureprofile is with an article without any conductive material. The bottomlayer has conductive material.

FIG. 5A shows the measured infrared temperature of the cushioningsurface without the weight. The cushioning pillow, P6212-B, is a DACRONMEMORELLE™ polyester fiberfill of type SSF08. Curves showingtemperatures with and without thermally conductive layer.

FIG. 5B shows the measured thermistor temperature between first layerfabric and the heat source. The cushioning pillow, P6212-B, is a DACRONMEMORELLE™ polyester fiberfill of type SSF08. Curves showingtemperatures with and without thermally conductive layer.

FIG. 5C shows infrared temperature of the cushioning surface without theweight showing the temperature differences with and without thethermally conductive layer. The cushioning pillow, P6212-B, is a DACRONMEMORELLE™ polyester fiberfill of type SSF08.

FIG. 5D shows the thermistor temperature between first layer fabric andthe heat source showing the temperature differences with and without thethermally conductive layer. The cushioning pillow, P6212-B, is a DACRONMEMORELLE™ polyester fiberfill of type SSF08.

FIG. 5E show the two infrared temperature images of the test in FIG.5A-D after 7 hours. The top image is without the thermally conductivelayer and the bottom image includes the thermally conductive layer.

FIG. 6A shows the infrared temperature of the cushioning surface withoutthe weight. The cushioning pillow P4550, is Therapedic Memory Foam.Curves showing temperatures with and without thermally conductive layer.

FIG. 6B shows the thermistor temperature between first layer fabric andthe heat source. The cushioning pillow P4550, is Therapedic Memory Foam.Curves showing temperatures with and without thermally conductive layer.

FIG. 6C shows infrared temperature of the cushioning surface without theweight showing the temperature differences with and without thethermally conductive layer. Pillow P4550, is a Therapedic Memory Foamcushioning pillow.

FIG. 6D. shows the thermistor temperature between first layer fabric andthe heat source showing the temperature differences with and without thethermally conductive layer. Pillow P4550, is a Therapedic Memory Foamcushioning pillow.

FIG. 6E. show the two infrared temperature images of the test in FIG.6A-D after 7 hours. The top image is without the thermally conductivelayer and the bottom image includes the thermally conductive layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

There is an increased interest in developing bedding materials having acooling effect over the course of a sleep cycle. The present disclosureis directed towards a thermally conductive cushioning material which canbe used in bedding materials.

Definitions

The words and phrases used herein should be understood and interpretedto have a meaning consistent with the understanding of those words andphrases by those skilled in the relevant art. No special definition of aterm or phrase, i.e., a definition that is different from the ordinaryand customary meaning as understood by those skilled in the art, isintended to be implied by consistent usage of the term or phrase herein.To the extent that a term or phrase is intended to have a specialmeaning, i.e., a meaning other than the broadest meaning understood byskilled artisans, such a special or clarifying definition will beexpressly set forth in the specification in a definitional manner thatprovides the special or clarifying definition for the term or phrase.

For example, the following discussion contains a non-exhaustive list ofdefinitions of several specific terms used in this disclosure (otherterms may be defined or clarified in a definitional manner elsewhereherein). These definitions are intended to clarify the meanings of theterms used herein. It is believed that the terms are used in a mannerconsistent with their ordinary meaning, but the definitions arenonetheless specified here for clarity.

A/an: The articles “a” and “an” as used herein mean one or more whenapplied to any feature in embodiments and implementations of the presentinvention described in the specification and claims. The use of “a” and“an” does not limit the meaning to a single feature unless such a limitis specifically stated. The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one ormore of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and“at least one” can be used interchangeably herein.

About: As used herein, “about” refers to a degree of deviation based onexperimental error typical for the particular property identified. Thelatitude provided the term “about” will depend on the specific contextand particular property and can be readily discerned by those skilled inthe art. The term “about” is not intended to either expand or limit thedegree of equivalents which may otherwise be afforded a particularvalue. Further, unless otherwise stated, the term “about” shallexpressly include “exactly,” consistent with the discussion belowregarding ranges and numerical data.

And/or: The term “and/or” placed between a first entity and a secondentity means one of (1) the first entity, (2) the second entity, and (3)the first entity and the second entity. Multiple elements listed with“and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” ofthe elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be presentother than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause,whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified.Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when usedin conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer,in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other thanB); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elementsother than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionallyincluding other elements). As used herein in the specification and inthe claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as“and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list,“or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., theinclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a numberor list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Onlyterms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or“exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” willrefer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list ofelements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only beinterpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the otherbut not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,”“one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of”.

Comprising: In the claims, as well as in the specification, alltransitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,”“having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and thelike are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including butnot limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and“consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitionalphrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent OfficeManual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03. Any device ormethod or system described herein can be comprised of, can consist of,or can consist essentially of any one or more of the described elements.

Ranges: Concentrations, dimensions, amounts, and other numerical datamay be presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood thatsuch range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and shouldbe interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical valuesexplicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include allthe individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within thatrange as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited.For example, a range of about 1 to about 200 should be interpreted toinclude not only the explicitly recited limits of 1 and about 200, butalso to include individual sizes such as 2, 3, 4, etc. and sub-rangessuch as 10 to 50, 20 to 100, etc. Similarly, it should be understoodthat when numerical ranges are provided, such ranges are to be construedas providing literal support for claim limitations that only recite thelower value of the range as well as claims limitation that only recitethe upper value of the range. For example, a disclosed numerical rangeof 10 to 100 provides literal support for a claim reciting “greater than10” (with no upper bounds) and a claim reciting “less than 100” (with nolower bounds). In the figures, like numerals denote like, or similar,structures and/or features; and each of the illustrated structuresand/or features may not be discussed in detail herein with reference tothe figures. Similarly, each structure and/or feature may not beexplicitly labeled in the figures; and any structure and/or feature thatis discussed herein with reference to the figures may be utilized withany other structure and/or feature without departing from the scope ofthe present disclosure.

The terms fibers and filaments are generally used interchangeablythroughout this disclosure, unless otherwise defined. The term yarnsshould be understood to represent a collection of fibers or filamentswhich are twisted or otherwise combined into a larger structure.

One purpose of the presently disclosed device is to provide a coolingeffect to living skin which comes into contact with certain cushioningmaterials, such as pillows, mattress covers, or seat cushions and thelike. During the course of a sleep cycle, a person's head emits a greatdeal of heat and sometimes perspiration, largely due to the thermalinsulative properties of pillow core materials, such as foam, fiberfill,feathers or other similar cushioning fillers.

In one form, illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the presently discloseddevice is a thermally conductive cushioning device 10, comprising afirst layer 20 of a moisture management fabric or a non-moisturemanagement fabric 22, a second layer 30 of a thermally conductive web32, and a third layer 40 of a thermally insulative cushioning material42.

The moisture management fabric 22 of the first layer 20 can be formed ofprofiled cross-section polyester or polyamide fibers, such as thetri-lobal fiber 22 a illustrated in FIG. 2A. However, other suchprofiled cross-section fibers, such as quadri-lobal fibers can be used.Without being bound by theory, it is believed that moisture management,i.e. wicking, is enhanced by an increased void volume within fabric dueto the voids between adjacent fibers in the weave or knit, caused by theindentations between the lobes of the fibers. Moisture can more readilybe wicked away from the site of skin contact through the voids. Wickingmay also be achieved at the level of the individual filament when thefilaments are profiled such that the physical dimensions provide asurface tension conducive to wicking.

Alternatively, the moisture management fabric is formed of round or ovalcross-section polyester or polyamide fibers 22 b (FIG. 2B), which aretreated with a moisture wicking compound 23. The moisture wickingcompound 23 can be deposited onto the surface of fiber 22 b, orincorporated into the fiber during spinning. The moisture wickingcompound can be applied to the fibers at levels of about 0.01 to about0.40 wt %, relative to the fiber weight, or even from about 0.01 toabout 0.70 wt %. Alternatively, the moisture management fabric can beformed of round or oval cross-section polyester or polyamide fibers,which are chemically treated with by plasma etching.

Nonlimiting examples of such fibers include fibers made from polyesters,including polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate,polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polylactic acid(PLA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), and blends or copolymers thereof. Inone form, the fibers may be made of polyethylene terephthalate. In otherforms, the fibers may be made of polyamides, including nylon 5,6; nylon6/6; nylon 6; nylon 7; nylon 11; nylon 12; nylon 6/10; nylon 6/12; nylonDT; nylon 6T; nylon 61; and blends or copolymers or terpolymers thereof.

In another form, the moisture management fabric 22 can be formed of ablend of natural fibers and profiled cross-section polyester orpolyamide fibers, or it can be formed of a blend of natural fibers andround or oval cross-section polyester or polyamide fibers, which aretreated with a moisture wicking compound. In an embodiment, the moisturewicking fabric layer can be made entirely of natural fibers that areinherently moisture wicking (such as viscose made from natural startingmaterials) or natural fibers treated to be hydrophilic and more moisturewicking (e.g. coated cotton). For example, the moisture managementfabric can be formed of a blend of natural fibers and profiledcross-section polyester or polyamide fibers, or it can be formed of ablend of natural fibers and round or oval cross-section polyester orpolyamide fibers, which are chemically treated with a moisture wickingcompound or plasma treated.

The fibers in accordance with the present disclosure can have dpf valuesranging from 0.04 dpf to 40 dpf. Non-limiting examples include dpfvalues ranging from 0.5 dpf to 30 dpf, from 0.5 dpf to 20 dpf, from 0.5dpf to 10 dpf, from 0.5 dpf to 5 dpf, from 0.5 dpf to 2 dpf, from 0.5dpf to 1.5 dpf, from 1 dpf to 10 dpf, from 1 dpf to 5 dpf, from 5 dpf to30 dpf, from 5 dpf to 20 dpf, from 5 dpf to from 10 dpf, and from 5 dpfto 7 dpf. In certain embodiments, the fibers can dpf values of less than10 dpf, such as less than 7 dpf, less than 5 dpf, less than 3 dpf, andless than 1.5 dpf. In an embodiment, the fibers have dpf values of from0.5 to 3.

The first layer 20 can be a woven or knitted fabric having a basisweight of from about 16 to about 300 g/m².

Suitable treatments to effect moisture wicking properties can includeuse of hydrophilic compounds known by those skilled in the art to imparthydrophilic properties to synthetic fibers. Suitable hydrophilic fibersare disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,586 column 8, lines 12-20,incorporated by reference as if set forth at length herein. In anembodiment, the fabric is subject to certain pre- and post-scouringevents. The pre-scouring can include putting fabric in a very hot bath(50-70° C.) along with mild to strong caustic to removes all oils andwaxes. The post-scouring treatment can add to the fabric a non-ionicwetting agent such as Permalose™ from Croda in a 60° C. bath for 20minutes. These key steps impart the wicking behavior in polyester basedfabrics.

The thermally conductive web 32 can be made from a metal. Suitablemetals can include those from Groups 3 to 13 of the Periodic Table ofthe elements, and alloys thereof. In advantageous forms, the web can bea woven or knitted copper mesh, or a woven or knitted aluminum mesh,available from Edward J. Darby & Sons, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.A. Highlyconductive forms of carbon can also be suitable, as can boron nitride(BN) merely to name two examples. The mesh sizes can range from about 50to about 325 mesh, with individual wire diameters of from about 0.001inch to about 0.003 inch and mesh and opening widths of 0.005 inch to0.015 inch.

In another form, the thermally conductive web 32 comprises thermallyconductive carbon fibers that meet the flexibility needs as describedherein.

Advantageously, the thermally conductive web 32 has a thermalconductivity of from about 0.1 to about 100 W/m·K, such as from about 1to about 50 W/m·K, or even from 10 to about 20 W/m·K, and is dependentupon the construction of the thermally conductive fabric. For a singlelayer fabric one construction herein is of about 10-20 W/m·K. Foranother multilayer thermally conductive fabric the conductivity is about60-100 W/m·K. See for reference: C. Li, G. P. Peterson/InternationalJournal of Heat and Mass Transfer 49 (2006) 4095-4105.

The force required for deflection of the first layer 20 can be withinten percent (10%) of the force required for deflection of the secondlayer 30. In one form, the second layer 30 can be a fine denier webhaving a force required for deflection which is substantially the sameas a force required for deflection of the first layer 20. Suitable testsof force required for deflection include ASTM D1388 and BS EN 9073, BS5058, AFNOR G07-109. In one example using copper or brass, the fabricfilament diameter must be less than 0.04 mm and a thread per cm of <50in the warp and weft direction.

In one form, of the thermally conductive cushioning device 10, the firstlayer 20 is immediately adjacent the second layer 30, such as in directcontact. In this way, heat from the first layer 20 is immediatelyconducted into the second layer 30, and distributed toward the edges ofthe layers and away from the point of contact between the cushioningdevice 10 and the living skin.

The thermally insulative material or cushion typical is much moreinsulative than the thermally conductive web. In one construction hereinthe polyethylene terephthalate cushioning material conductivity is about0.03 to 0.06 W/m·K. The cushioning material can be a polyethyleneterephthalate fiberfill or any other cushioning layer of foam, fibersfeathers, down, polymer beads, chopped straws, buckwheat hulls, othercommon cushion stuffing materials, or combinations thereof. According tothe presently disclosed device, heat and moisture are conducted awayfrom the user, instead of down into the cushioning material. Theinsulating nature of the cushioning material 42 redirects heat andmoisture to the overlying first and second layers of the device. In thismanner, the thermally conductive cushioning device can reducetemperatures at the contact surface (Head Cooling ΔT) from about 0.1° C.to about 10° C. over a typical 8 hour sleep cycle period, or from about2° C. to about 8° C., or from about 4° C. to about 6° C., or even fromabout 4.5° C. to about 5.5° C. The Head Cooling ΔT can be measured byconventional means using thermocouples, thermometers and/or thermistors.The thickness of the insulative cushioning material 42 should be atleast about ¼ inch, advantageously at least about ½ inch, or more. Theinsulative cushioning material 42 can be a polyethylene terephthalatefiberfill insulation or any other cushioning layer of foam or fibers.

In an embodiment, the fill can be hydrophilic so that it too can drawmoisture vapor away from the skin, into the pillow, and then out againthrough other parts of the fabric/cushion. While there is heatconduction into the volume it is significantly less with this device,which primarily conducts heat in a planar or radial way from the sourceheat (the head). Additionally, the fiberfill may or may not haveadditional moisture managing features that as disclosed in WO2016/154012. Moisture from the body does contain some percentage of thetotal heat from the source. While suitable cushioning materials can berelatively resistant to heat flow, it is desirable in one embodiment toprovide lower resistance to radial heat than tangential heat flow (intothe cushion).

If the cushion material is a fiberfill, the fiberfill may have any crimpshape suitable for use in finished bedding articles such as pillows,mattress pads, comforters, duvets, quilts etc.; furniture components,such as seat cushions and chair backings; sleeping bags; animalblankets; and other apparel articles that have a non-woven or high-loftnon-woven applications. Suitable crimp shapes include (1) mechanicalcrimp (i.e., a saw-tooth crimp), (2) a spiral conjugate, and (3) anomega conjugate (i.e., asymmetric or jet quench). In one nonlimitingform, the fiberfill is mechanically crimped. In another nonlimitingform, the fiberfill has a conjugate crimp.

Also presented is a process for providing a cooling effect to cushioningdevices for contact with living skin, comprising providing a thermallyconductive cushioning device, having a first layer of a moisturemanagement fabric, a second layer of a thermally conductive web, and athird layer of a thermally insulative cushioning material. The processincludes contacting the cushioning device with skin to establish atemperature T₁ on the first layer of the cushioning device, and a firstmoisture level, then extracting heat from the first layer of thecushioning device into the second layer of the cushioning device andreducing the temperature of the first layer to a temperature of T₂.Additionally, the process includes wicking moisture away from the skinthrough the moisture management fabric of the first layer, anddistributing the heat and moisture toward edges of the first and secondlayers and away from the skin. In an embodiment, the thermalconductivity of the second layer exceeds that of the cushion, and heatpreferentially flows toward the edges of the second layer, such that T₂is from about 1-10° C. less than T₁ over a period of about 8 hours.

Non-limiting examples of the insulative cushioning material include:finished bedding products, such as pillows, pillow cases, duvets,quilts, and comforters; furniture components, such as seat cushions andchair backings; sleeping bags; animal blankets; and other apparelarticles that have a non-woven or high-loft non-woven applications.

EXAMPLES Example 1: Thermal Conduction

The following is a description of the testing procedure and setup.

Testing area is within a controlled environmental chamber. Thetemperature is controlled at 70° F.±1.5° F. and relative humidity (RH %)at 60%±7%. The sample and apparatus are preconditioned for at least 12hours inside the environmental chamber.

The test configuration is shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. It consists of apillow with a variety of possible fill (polyester, foam, down, etc.) asa third layer which includes fabric FIGS. 1A and 1B (40). A certainlayer of copper fabric or brass or other highly conductive material isused (30). A layer or two of fabric as a first layer (20). The fabriccan be of cotton, polyester or other kinds material that may or may notbe moisture wicking but is preferred to be moisture wicking.

A heat source and weight; simulating the area, the weight and heatoutput of an approximate human head is placed upon the pillow asillustrated in FIG. 3A and pictured in FIG. 3B.

The heat source is approximately 225 cm² and has a power output ofapproximately 4 W over given area. The power is measured and controlled.

There are at least four temperature measurements including ambientcondition. An Infrared [IR] temperature of the surface of the pillowwith the weight briefly removed to image the surface of the article. Thesurface temperature is used with a FLIR T450sc spectrometer. The othertemperature measurements are with thermistors that have tightermeasurements than thermocouples. Temperature measurement between thesurface of the first fabric layer and the heat source simulating thetemperature between the head and the pillow surface. Temperaturemeasurement at the bottom of the pillow against an insulative surface.

Measurements are taken at the beginning of the test just prior toapplying the heat source and periodically through 7 to 8 hours oftesting. Typically, the temperatures are measured about every hour.

The example showing the results in FIG. 4 was prepared as follows. Thetop infrared image and associated infrared temperature were constructedof the following: (40) an insulative cushion foam, no thermallyconductive fabric was used, and a top layer of two moisture wickingfabrics of (80%) cotton, (20%) polyester blend that were approximatelyof 120 g/m² each (20). The bottom infrared image and associatedtemperature next to the image were constructed of the following: (40) aninsulative cushioning foam (40), 4 layers of copper woven mesh of 200inch-1 and diameter of 0.002 inch wire (30) and a top layer of twomoisture wicking fabrics of (80%) cotton, (20%) polyester blend thatwere approximately of 120 g/m² each (20). A controlled heater wasapplied, and continuous temperature measurements were taken using theinfrared camera over a course of 20 minutes. Plots of surfacetemperature were taken from the edge of the heater to 5 inches.Examining the two plots shows that the surface where the “head” islocated produced a temperature difference of approximately 6° C. Also itis observed that the heated region is much more concentrated around the“head” or where the heat source is located without the thermallyconductive fabric versus the bottom image that has the thermallyconductive fabric.

Example 2

The example showing the results in FIG. 5 was prepared as follows. Theone example without the thermally conductive layer was a pillow ofpolyester type SSF08 which consisted of 26 oz of about 1 dpf siliconizedfiber encased in a fabric shell (40), and a top layer of two moisturewicking fabrics of (80%) cotton, (20%) polyester blend that wereapproximately of 120 g/m2 each (20). The second article was constructedof a pillow of polyester type SSF08 which consisted of 26 oz of about 1dpf siliconized fiber encased in a fabric shell (40), a second layerconstructed of 8 layers of 100 mesh, copper woven fabric composed ofwires of diameter of 0.0012 inches (30) and a top layer of two moisturewicking fabrics of (80%) cotton, (20%) polyester blend that wereapproximately of 120 g/m2 each (20).

FIG. 5A shows the results of the infrared temperature for both samplesover a period of more than 7 hours. FIG. 5B shows the results of thethermistor that is between the heater simulated the heat output of thehead and the top layer (20). In FIGS. 5C and 5D are the temperaturedifference results of FIGS. 5A and 5B respectively. The temperaturedifference was observed to be 3.5 to 4° F. for each of the infraredtemperature and thermistor. We believe this value is quite significant.

Example 3

The example showing the results in FIG. 6 was prepared as follows. Theone example without the thermally conductive layer was a pillow of brandTherapedic Memory Foam (40), and a top layer of two moisture wickingfabrics of (80%) cotton, (20%) polyester blend that were approximatelyof 120 g/m2 each (20). The second article was constructed of a pillow ofbrand Therapedic Memory Foam (40), a second layer constructed of 8layers of 100 mesh, copper woven fabric composed of wires of diameter of0.0012 inches (30) and a top layer of two moisture wicking fabrics of(80%) cotton, (20%) polyester blend that were approximately of 120 g/m2each (20).

FIG. 6A shows the results of the infrared temperature for both samplesover a period of more than 7 hours. FIG. 6B shows the results of thethermistor that is between the heater simulating the heat output of thehead and the top layer (20). In FIGS. 6C and 6D are the temperaturedifference results of FIGS. 6A and 6B respectively. The temperaturedifference was observed to be 4 to 6° F. for each of the infraredtemperature and thermistor. The memory foam is more insulative an thusmay illustrate the movement of heat outward on the surface relative tothe less insulative polyester fiberfill.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The systems and methods disclosed herein are applicable to the beddingindustry.

It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multipledistinct inventions with independent utility. While each of theseinventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specificembodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to beconsidered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. Thesubject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obviouscombinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features,functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Similarly, where theclaims recite “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof, suchclaims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more suchelements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.

It is believed that the following claims particularly point out certaincombinations and subcombinations that are directed to one of thedisclosed inventions and are novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodiedin other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions,elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of thepresent claims or presentation of new claims in this or a relatedapplication. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to adifferent invention or directed to the same invention, whetherdifferent, broader, narrower, or equal in scope to the original claims,are also regarded as included within the subject matter of theinventions of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A thermally conductive cushioning device, comprising: a first layer of a moisture management fabric; a second layer of a thermally conductive web; and a third layer of a cushioning material, wherein the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive web is greater than or equal to the thermal conductivity of the cushioning material.
 2. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, wherein the moisture management fabric is formed of profiled cross-section polyester or polyamide fibers or other moisture management materials.
 3. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, wherein the moisture management fabric is formed of round or oval cross-section polyester or polyamide fibers or other cross-sections that may channel moisture, which are treated to improve moisture wicking.
 4. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, wherein the moisture management fabric further comprises natural fibers.
 5. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, wherein the moisture management fabric is formed of a blend of natural fibers and round or oval cross-section polyester or polyamide fibers, which are either chemically treated with a moisture wicking compound or plasma treated to improve moisture wicking.
 6. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive web comprises at least one of: (a) metal selected from Groups 3 to 13 of the Periodic Table of the elements; (b) alloys comprising at least one metal of (a); and (c) thermally conductive forms of carbon.
 7. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive web comprises a copper mesh or thermally conductive carbon fibers.
 8. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, wherein the thermally insulative cushioning material is not a heat sink, such as a polyethylene terephthalate fiberfill insulation.
 9. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive web has a thermal conductivity of from about 0.1 to about 100 W/m·K, as measured from 20° C. to 50° C.
 10. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, wherein first layer is immediately adjacent the second layer.
 11. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, wherein first layer is a woven or knitted fabric having a basis weight of from about 16 to about 300 g/m².
 12. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, wherein second layer is a fine denier web having a force required for deflection that is substantially the same as a force required for deflection of the first layer, such as wherein the force required for deflection of the first layer is within ten percent (10%) of the force required for deflection of the second layer.
 13. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, wherein the third layer is a cushioning layer of foam or fibers, or a blend therefrom.
 14. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, which is a pillow or a pillow case.
 15. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, which is a mattress cover.
 16. The thermally conductive cushioning device of claim 1, which is a seat cushion.
 17. A process for providing a cooling effect to cushioning devices for contact with living skin, comprising: providing a thermally conductive cushioning device, comprising a first layer of a moisture management fabric, a second layer of a thermally conductive web, and a third layer of a thermally insulative cushioning material; contacting said cushioning device with skin to establish a temperature T₁ on said first layer of the cushioning device, and a first moisture level; extracting heat from said first layer of the cushioning device into said second layer of the cushioning device and reducing the temperature of said first layer to a temperature of T₂; wicking moisture away from said skin through said moisture management fabric of the first layer; and distributing said heat and moisture toward edges of said first and second layers and away from the skin.
 18. The process of claim 17, wherein said thermally insulative material of said third layer delays entry heat from second layer into the third layer, thereby enhancing the distribution of heat toward the edges of the second layer.
 19. The process of claim 17, wherein T₂ is from about 0.5-10° C. less than T₁ over a period of about 8 hours. 